Rekindling Love
by Chameleon Amor
Summary: "I love you...and I'll miss you...but what has to be done has to be done." At this point, she was sobbing. "I love you, too." His tears fell into her hair. "More than I could ever tell you." When he and she pulled apart, she stood on her tiptoes so she co
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

_December 17, 2011  
Troy and Gabriella had just gotten back to Troy's house after going out to an early birthday dinner for Gabriella. The crisp, cold winter air swirled around them as they made their way to the door and hurried inside, and a few stray snowflakes fell from the sky._

"So, Brie..." Troy began. "I was gonna wait until your actual birthday to give you your gift, but since we already went out to dinner for an early celebration, I might as well just give it to you now."

Gabriella smiled. What had Troy gotten her? A new bracelet? A scrapbook of some special pictures they had taken together over the years? New bedding? All those things were items she had talked about wanting before, and from her other birthdays, she knew that Troy always liked to give her what she wanted.

"Gabriella Anne Montez," Troy spoke, getting down on one knee. "We've been together for exactly five years, three months, and eleven days. I've given you two promise rings, we've shared lots of secrets, gave each other our most sacred moments...and now I think it's time for me to ask this question: Will you marry me?" He pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a diamond ring.

The smile on Gabriella's face faded. "No...no, I don't think I can do this. I'm not ready. You're the only guy I dated for more than two weeks. I don't have enough experience with relationships."

"We don't have to get married right away. We can wait a couple more years. I just wanted you to have this ring to show the world that you're officially mine."

"You don't understand! I don't even want to be engaged!" Tears sprang to Gabriella's eyes. "I...I can't do this anymore. I need a break." With that, she turned around and rushed through the door.

"Brie! Where are you going?" Troy called, running after Gabriella.

"Home," Gabriella answered bluntly.

"But your car's not here."

"I'll get a limo or taxi or something. I just...I just can't stay here. I just can't be with you."

"Why? Listen, you don't even have to get engaged to me! I can put the ring away and give it to you later when you feel ready to wear it." Troy was desperate.

"But it's not fair to you!" Gabriella burst out. "If you're ready to settle down and get married, you should be able to without having to wait for me."

Troy felt a tear drop onto his cheek. "But I want to marry you! Not some other girl! Brie, trust me; I want you. I'll wait for you. I'll wait forever if that's how long it takes you to feel ready to be my wife."

"But you shouldn't have to wait!" Gabriella sniffled and, taking a tissue from her purse, dabbed at her eyes.

"I don't mind waiting! I promise!"

"Still...I don't want to hold you back."

"So does this mean...does this mean you're breaking up with me?" Troy's voice was hoarse.

"Not exactly...I just...I just want a little break," said Gabriella quietly. "Just to think things over, maybe spend some time with other guys...I mean, this relationship was my first real one. I need to make sure I want to commit to it for life. And I think it would be good for you to get to know some other girls, too."

"I told you before, I don't want another girl!"

Sighing, Gabriella ran a hand through her curls. "I really have to go, Troy." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you...and I'll miss you...but what has to be done has to be done." At this point, she was sobbing.

"I love you, too." Troy's tears fell into Gabriella's hair. "More than I could ever tell you."

When Troy and Gabriella pulled apart, Gabriella stood on her tiptoes so she could kiss Troy's cheek, then, with a sad smile, turned away and walked out of his sight.

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**Hello Everybody. This is my first story for fanfiction and I would love it you guys took it easy on me. However, I love honest criticism. Thankyou so much for reading it. Review and let me know what you guys think! Chao!**


	2. Chapter 2

September 8, 2013  
Los Angeles, California

Gabriella Montez let out a sigh and sank back into the seat of her car. By looking out her window, she could see they were all there: Sharpay Evans, Ryan Evans, Taylor Mckessie, Chad Danforth, and, of course, her ex-boyfriend Troy Bolton, who she hadn't said a word to in nearly two years. Up until this point, she had been carefully avoiding events he was attending and made sure to try to be out of L.A. whenever he returned there after promoting a movie. But now, seeing him just couldn't be put off, for Kelso had requested that the main cast of the senior musical perform a number at her sister's wedding. And something that had to do with an event like a wedding just couldn't be thrown in the dirt.

"Hey, look, Gabriella's finally here!" That was Sharpay's voice.

Taking her sunglasses off, Gabriella grabbed her purse and tried to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach as she hesitantly opened her car door and stepped out onto the pavement.

"GABS! Come here! We've been waiting for you!" Sharpay yelled, using frantic hand gestures in attempt to get her over to where the group was.

Forcing a smile, Gabriella made her way over to the rest of the group was gathered. She was then greeted with enthusiastic "hellos" and hugs from Sharpay, Lucas, Taylor, and Chad. It was after that when the moment she had been absolutely dreading began.

She was face-to-face with Troy, her brown eyes locked with his blue ones.

"Um...hey," Gabriella greeted awkwardly, shifting her gaze toward the grass beneath her feet.

"Hey," Troy returned.

Silence fell between the two young adults.

"So I...I don't get a hug?" Troy held out his arms.

"Uh...yeah, um...of course you get a hug." Gabriella managed to give Troy a one-armed hug around the shoulders.

Returning Gabriella's hug with one no more intimate than the one she had given him, Troy asked, "Are you okay, ba-I mean, Briea?"

Butterflies fluttered in Gabriella's stomach. "I...I'm fine. I just...I just had a late night last night and then I got up early to come here and yeah...it's just been crazy. You know how it is when you have a new movie coming out. There are all the promotions and interviews and paparazzi going after you...so that's why I am how I am today. But there's nothing wrong."

"I see," Troy responded in an even tone.

"Okay, guys, come on in and let's gets started!" Kelso called from the doorway of the studio they were to learn their routine in. Everyone began walking inside. "I'm so glad to be working with you all again. I really miss it." She hugged each of the cast members, inquired about how they were doing, and then said, "Alright. Now we'll have time to catch up later, but we only have the studio for two hours, so let's get started. Go on over to barre and do some plies, tendus, or sit down and stretch; whatever you feel needs to be done."

Chatter picked up as everybody started their warm-ups. However, Troy and Gabriella didn't utter even a syllable to each other.

"Alright, let's go!" Kelsi shouted after a good fifteen minutes had passed. Once he had the attention of the cast, he announced, "Now, this number is called Kiss the Bride, and it's going to be kind of a sweet, semi-romantic routine. So what I want to do is work on some partnering exercises since I know we'll be doing some partner work in the dance and you guys need to brush up on your skills with that. So let's have Troy and Gabriella, Chad and Taylor, and Ryan and Sharpay. I'm going to keep it the same as it was in the musicals because these are the pairs you've gotten used to working in."

"Um...couldn't we try something else, like mixing it up a little? I mean, I've always wanted to experiment with dancing with partners that are of all different heights and have different strengths and weakness and-" Gabriella spoke up.

"Maybe if we have time we can do that later," Kelsi told her. "But for now, we need to get moving, so we're not going to do any switching."

Gabriella took small steps over to Troy. However, she made sure to keep a good foot of room between him and herself.

"You can come closer. I don't bite." Humor glistened in Troy's eyes.

Taking a peek around, Gabriella noticed that Chad's arm was around Taylor and that Ryan had his hand on Sharpay's shoulder. I guess I really should move nearer to him...

"Okay. The waltz. You all learned this for prom and the musical, so let's see how much you remember." Kelsi placed a CD in the CD player and turned it on. When the music began to play, she counted, "One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two three...Gabriella, what are you doing? Don't look at the ground. You've got to make eye contact with Troy. If you remember anything, it should be that."

Chewing on her lip, Gabriella raised her head and forced her eyes to meet her ex-boyfriend's.

"Perfect. One, two, three, one, two, three...Chad, make sure you're leading. You're the guy; you have to guide Taylor where you want to go in the room."

"Oh, right. Sorry," Chad apologized, quickly taking over as the leader.

The group continued to waltz for another five minutes while Kelsi watched, disappointed from the lack of communication. She stopped the CD. "You have to be able to communicate well with each other. I know you haven't worked together in a long time and you probably haven't been seeing each other in person as much as when you we were in High School, but we need to keep up with the good connection you had back then. Troy and Gabriella especially. You guys had natural chemistry back then, and now, you look like you don't even look like you want to be together. And Sharpay, you have to pay attention to Ryan's movements. If he's going to the left, you have to go with him. Alright, we are going to try some trust exercises so that we can gain the chemistry we need to pull off this performance."

'Well, maybe we don't have chemistry anymore because we're not together anymore and it's awkward having to dance with your ex!' Gabriella thought bitterly. 'Doesn't she understand any of this? And now we have to do bonding exercises? Oh, I wish I could just disappear right now. Why did I even agree to be part of this wedding dance?'

"Okay. Girls, stand about two feet in front of your guys, then lean back and let them catch you."

So I have to fall into his arms? This day is getting worse and worse by the second!

Just as the cast was about to start the exercise, the sound of a cell phone was heard.

"That's mine!" Gabriella shouted gratefully. Dashing over to her purse, which she had set against the wall, she pulled her phone out of it and answered. "Hey."

"Hey, babe." It was Gabriella's boyfriend, Chris. "So, what's up? Are you coming out to dinner with me tonight?"

"Are you in L.A.?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah," Chris replied.

"Me, too. So okay, we can go."

"Gabriella! You know better than to walk off to answer your phone in the middle of a rehearsal!" Kelsi scolded. "Now hang up and come back over here!"

"So very quickly, where do you want to meet?"

"At that place that's right down the street from your house. You know the one we usually go to?"

"Yeah. And how much money do you want me to bring?"

"Maybe like fifty bucks. I feel like having a big platter tonight."

"Alright. I'll see you later, then. Love you."

"Alright, bye." The click that was heard over the speaker signaled that Chris had just hung up.

Tossing her phone back into her purse, Gabriella made her way back over to the center of the room.

"Who was that, Briea?" Taylor inquired.

"Chris," Gabriella answered. "He just wanted to make plans for dinner tonight."

"Tonight? Oh...before you got here we were all talking about going out somewhere as group since we haven't all been together in a while." Disappointment was evident in Taylor's tone. "But if you have a date, we could do it tomorrow, I guess..."

"No, it's fine. You guys can go without me." Gabriella shrugged.

"Okay! Enough chatter. Let's get moving!" Kelsi interrupted. "We still have to finish this exercise!"

* * *

"Hey, Briea," Troy spoke in a low voice as he snuck up behind Gabriella. The rehearsal had just ended, and everyone was getting ready to leave for the day.

"What?" Gabriella mumbled, refusing to look at her ex.

"You...you...I mean...it's me, right? If I wasn't going, you would want to go out to dinner with the rest of the cast, wouldn't you?" said Troy.

"No, no, no. It's not that at all," Gabriella replied quickly. "It's just that I haven't seen Chris in a week, so I just wanted to catch up with him. I mean, he is my boyfriend." She snatched her purse and slung it over her shoulder.

"Wait, Briea." Troy laid a gentle hand on Gabriella's arm to stop her from moving. "I don't want to upset you or anything, but I know Chris, and he's not who you think. He's known for cheating on girls, flirting with fans, and basically doing anything that'll get him more attention from the paparazzi."

"Yeah, right. You're just jealous, so you're making up lies to get me to come crawling back to you. I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen. I have a new boyfriend, and you need to accept that. There are thousands of girls in this world dying to have a date with you, so go ask one of them out and be happy. I don't need to put up with hearing these shitty lies about Chris."

"You don't understand, Briea! I'm not trying to get you back. I'm just trying to protect you, and in order for me to do that, I need to tell you the truth before you find out for yourself the hard way."

"Find out what? Troy, I know you're just making this up, and I'm not going to fall for it. Now I have to go." With that, Gabriella hurried out of the building and to her car. As she pulled out of her parking space, tears began to fall from her eyes. She really hadn't wanted to treat Troy the way she just had. However, she felt like it was what she needed to do in order to keep herself from going back to him.

But why, exactly, couldn't she go back to him?

And that was why Gabriella couldn't-or rather wasn't able to bring herself to-go back to Troy. Yes, it hurt her to be away from him; after nearly two years she had decided that he truly was the only guy she would ever be one hundred percent happy with. However, she didn't want to be one of those girls that came crawling back despite the fact that Troy had kept his arms open. In her mind, it just seemed pathetic. So instead, she opted to force herself to be happy with Chris.

* * *

"It's a shame Gabriella couldn't be here," Sharpay remarked as she took a sip of her soda.

"Yeah," Ryan agreed. "I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I haven't seen her since at least January."

"I know; I haven't seen her since December. But I guess her boyfriend is more important to her than we are." Bitter could be detected in Chad's tone.

"I guess," shrugged Taylor.

Troy, who had just been moving the buttered noodles that were on his plate around with his fork, finally spoke up. "Um...guys...I wouldn't be talking about this if I were you."

Everyone looked confused.

"She's right over there," Troy explained, gesturing to a nearby booth where Gabriella was seated right beside Chris, her lips on his and her arms around his waist.

"Oh..." Sharpay said quietly.

"What is she doing shoving her tongue down what's-his-name's throat in public?" Chad exclaimed.

"Shh!" Sharpay clapped a hand over Chad's mouth. "Not so loud!"

Gabriella broke away from Chris smiling. However, that smile faded when her eyes fell on the five High School Musical cast members.

"She just saw us," whispered Lucas.

"Just keep eating. Pretend like this isn't happening," Taylor urged. "We don't want to make her feel bad about not coming with us."

"What? Why are the paps in here?" Chad queried in shock, pushing Sharpay's hand away from his face at the sight of five men with large cameras walking around. "I thought this was one of the safe, privacy-friendly places to go to in L.A.!"

"Yeah!" Ryan joined in. "This is the last thing we need!"

"They're heading toward Gabriella and Chris," Sharpay spoke in a hushed voice.

The group watched as the paparazzi made their way over to where Gabriella and Chris were sitting. The second they arrived there, Chris roughly grabbed Gabriella and slammed his lips against hers.

"What the fuck?" Troy slammed down his fork, slid back his chair, and rose to his feet, his hands clenched into fists. After waiting for the paparazzi to move out of the way, he made his way to Gabriella and Chris's table. Taking a deep breath, he began with, "Hey, what's up?"

"Troy, why are you here?" Gabriella demanded.

"Yeah, you stalked her, didn't you? Well, it's a good thing I'm here." Chris smirked and laid an arm across Gabriella's shoulders.

"Mind if I sit down?" Without waiting for an answer, Troy seated himself on the vacant side of the booth.

"Troy! Go away!" Gabriella urged.

"No. I don't like what I'm seeing, so I'll stay here until I'm sure everything's alright." Troy shot a glare at Chris.

"You don't have to like it," Chris protested. "You're not part of our relationship. In case you haven't noticed, a relationship is supposed to be between a couple and only between a couple."

Yeah, like you really believe that. You were just showing off for the paparazzi a few minutes ago!

"Troy, Chris's right. You need to go away. Aren't you supposed to be having dinner with the cast anyway?" Gabriella motioned toward the table at which the High School Musical cast was seated.

"Alright, changing the subject," Troy announced. "Chris, weren't you just wearing that t-shirt two days ago?"

"Oh, I never change my shirt more than twice a week," responded Chris with a dismissive wave of the hand. "I'm too manly to put on fresh clothes every day like a girl."

"Since when was it girly to be clean?" Troy asked.

"Um...let me think..." Chris pretended to be in deep thought. "Hm...maybe since the beginning of time?" His tone was rude.

Troy shook his head in defeat. This was the reason why he loathed Chris. He was rude, unfriendly, inconsiderate, and just downright nasty.

"Okay. Well, we're done eating, so we're going to hit the road now. See ya later, bastard." Chris slipped out of the booth, Gabriella following.

"Oh, I need to leave a tip." Gabriella pulled her wallet from her purse and began going through it.

"You're making her pay?" Troy banged a fist on the table. "You know, you're an asshole. And if I wasn't concerned about hurting Gabriella, my hand would be right in the middle of your face."

"You know, I've never liked you, Bolton," stated Chris.

"Okay. I can tell you want the last word in this discussion, so I'll just let you have it and walk away. See you tomorrow, Briea."

Gabriella didn't respond. However, Troy couldn't miss the longing, painful look in her chocolate eyes that betrayed her true feelings.

She was not happy with Chris at all.

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**Well, what did you** **think? Let me know in a Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I just wanted to let you guys know that this story is based from the Zanessa breakup. I figured that most of us fans really would want them to get back together. Fortunately, the wonderful world of Fanfiction has provided me a way to release my imagination. Basically, Troy and Gabriella are in Zac and Vanessa's career however, everything else is completely fiction. Ok. I stop bugging you and let start the chapter. Enjoy!**

**(Oh yeah, Chris Smith is based off of Austin Butler. I love Austin so just know this is a completely different portrayal of him. Ok...)**

* * *

"We missed you last night, Briea," Chad said to Gabriella when she arrived at the studio for rehearsal.

Gabriella managed to smile. "I missed you guys, too."

"If you missed us so much, then why didn't you just come out to eat? I mean, we're only gonna be together rehearsing for two weeks. You can see Chris anytime you want," Sharpay spoke.

"What's wrong, Pay? I thought you liked Chris?" Gabriella responded.

"Yeah, he's my friend and all, but you're really getting carried away with the whole boyfriend thing. Sometimes I really regret even introducing you guys to each other." Sharpay pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"Hey!"

Everyone turned around to see Chris entering the room.

"You invited him?" Taylor's tone was filled with disgust.

"I thought he could watch us practice, that's all," Gabriella shrugged.

"This is supposed to be a closed practice!" whispered Ryan, grabbing Gabriella's arm. "Why would you do something like this?"

"Still haven't changed that shirt, I see," Troy remarked dryly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Still haven't changed that shirt, I see," mocked Chris. "You know, you need to back off before I kick your ass."

Troy laughed. "Oh, go on. Like a pathetic, weak guy like you would really be able to do that?"

"Troy, no!" Gabriella exclaimed, tears springing to her eyes.

"What's wrong, Gabs?" Chad inquired, wrapping an arm around Gabriella's shoulders.

"Why are you all picking on me?" Gabriella demanded, pulling away from Chad and wiping a tear from her cheek. "I thought we were friends! And then you go bash me for who my boyfriend is? You're all just...I can't even think of a word to describe you!" With that, she turned around and stormed out of the studio.

"Look what you did, Troy!" Chris exclaimed. "You made her cry! And nothing makes Gabriella cry!"

Taking his fist, Troy punched Chris in the stomach, then rushed after Gabriella. Although he didn't see her at first when he made it outside, he had no trouble finding her, as he knew all the right places to look. Within seconds, he discovered her huddled up against the wall at the back of the building. "Briea," he breathed, sitting down beside her and pulling her into his lap.

"You guys all hate me!" Gabriella sobbed.

"No, we don't," Troy objected gently. "We could never hate you."

"Where...where is he?" Gabriella looked around. "I...I can't let him see me crying like this!"

Troy knew instantly who Gabriella was referring to. "Shh, it's okay. He's inside." He stroked Gabriella's dark curls and pulled her closer. Upon noticing that Gabriella was struggling to stop her tears, he pressed a kiss into her hair and murmured, "You can cry if you need to. It might even make you feel better if you just let it all out."

"I...I don't wanna go back in there!" Gabriella buried her face in Troy's chest and gripped his shirt with her hands.

"Then you don't have to," soothed Troy.

"Ever! It's just...it's all too much! I can't do it anymore!"

Just then, a group of paparazzi approached Troy and Gabriella and began snapping pictures.

"No! No! Troy...don't let them! Don't let them!" Gabriella cried. "I...I wanna go home! Take me home!"

Chris, Troy thought to himself, trying his hardest to hide Gabriella from the bright flashes of the cameras. I know he called them. I mean, what else does he have to spend his money on? It's not like he ever buys clothes or groceries or anything like that. Aloud, he whispered, "Shh, sweetheart, it's okay. I'll take you home." He stood up, Gabriella still in his arms, and carried her over to his car. Placing her in the passenger seat, he buckled her seatbelt for her, shut the door, then hurriedly made his way around to the drivers' side. Once he got behind the wheel, he fastened his seatbelt, stuck the keys in the ignition, and sped out of the parking lot. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into Gabriella's driveway. "Alright, here we are."

Gabriella didn't respond; she didn't even budge.

"Do you wanna go inside?" queried Troy softly after getting out of the car and walking over to the passenger seat. Upon taking a closer look, he could see that Gabriella's breathing was heavy and that trembles were taking over her body. She's hysterical. And all because of him, I'm sure. Pressing the button to undo her seatbelt, Troy picked her up and took her to the front door. He then bent down and took her spare key from underneath the mat that rested almost beneath his feet and inserted it into the doorknob. "Here we go." He pushed the door open and, stepping inside, closed it behind him.

"I...I...there's...there's gonna be rumors!" Gabriella burst out.

"Shh..." comforted Troy, taking Gabriella over to her living room couch and sitting down with her still in his arms. "Everything's gonna be alright."

"I never wanna go back!" Gabriella went on. "It's...it's too much stress. I just...I can't take it!"

"Then you don't have to," Troy assured. "No one can force you to do something you don't want." He mindlessly twisted one of Gabriella's curls around his finger.

"I'll...I'll never be able to face him again, either. I don't know what to do!"

"Briea, sweetheart." Troy placed a gentle hand under Gabriella's chin and turned her face toward his. "Listen. I need you to try to settle down. It's okay if you need to cry to let everything out, but you're starting to get hysterical, and I can tell that you're stressed, too, and those things aren't good for your health. I don't want you trying to talk right now. Finish crying; let all your pain out, and then if you want to talk about anything once you've calmed yourself down, I'll listen. But please don't try to do both at once. I can tell it's too much for you to handle."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Gabriella hid her face in Troy's shoulder and continued to let her tears flow in silence until sleep overtook her.

Troy, upon noticing she had fallen asleep, laid Gabriella down on the couch, tucked her in with a blanket that was draped over the back of it, and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. He then made his way into the kitchen and began to search for something Gabriella would want to eat when she woke up, as he knew that if he didn't make her eat, she would skip it for at least the rest of the day.

"Mmm," Gabriella groaned as she opened her eyes.

"Are you awake, Briea?" Troy inquired softly, stepping back into the living room.

"I...I thought you left," Gabriella spoke.

"No; I could never just leave you like that. I actually was just in the kitchen trying to find something for you to eat when you woke up," Troy replied.

"You know, you shouldn't be here with me. You should be at rehearsal." Gabriella sat up. "I can handle myself. Honest."

"I don't doubt you can, but I thought that maybe you would want some company." Troy took a seat beside Gabriella.

Gabriella let out a sigh. No one else seemed to care about her at the moment, so she might as well let Troy stay. "Thanks." She rested her cheek on his shoulder.

Ding dong!

Leaning forward to get a good view of what was out the window, Troy announced, "It's Chris. And by the looks of it, he drove your car over."

"What? No...I still look a wreck. He can't see me like this."

"I'll go take care of him," Troy assured, standing up and walking to the front door. Opening it, he asked, "Why are you here?"

"I think that would be a better question for you to answer, Bolton. You know, Gabriella's my girlfriend, which means I'm the only guy allowed in her house." While he spoke the word "my," Chris pointed to himself. "And by the way, I saw some paparazzi candids of you with her, and let me say, I did not like the way you were handling her at all, especially in the ones of you carrying her to your car. Those pics were way too couple-like for me."

"I'm allowed to comfort her," growled Troy.

"But you were the one who made her cry! And I hate when girls cry. Their eyes get all red and puffy and their make-up runs...not a pleasant sight."

"You know, you have got to be the most inconsiderate, nasty guy in the world. Now tell me; how did you drive Gabriella's car here?"

"She left her purse at the studio, and her keys were in there, so I decided just to drive here in her car since it would save me gas money." Chris shrugged.

"Give me the keys." Troy held out his hand.

"But...but if I do that, I have no way of getting home!"

"You can't just steal someone's car!" shouted Troy. "Now give me the keys before I have to beat the shit out of you."

"I really won't be able to get home without Gabriella's car!" Chris insisted.

"Call a taxi, take a bus, ride a limo...oh wait. You can't. You don't have any money."

"Yeah, exactly. I don't."

"Well, then, it looks like you'll have to walk." With that, Troy took Chris's arm and ripped Gabriella's car keys from his fingers. "Bye." He slammed the door shut and locked it. Turning back to Gabriella, he saw that she was crying again. "What's wrong, Briea?"

"He...he didn't even care about me!" Gabriella sobbed. "He didn't ask to see me or ask if I was okay..."

In an instant, Troy had his arms wrapped around Gabriella. "I'm here," he soothed.

"Don't leave."

"I'm not leaving until you say it's okay for me to go," assured Troy.

I never want you to go, Gabriella thought. Aloud, she responded with, "Stay the night with me, please. I just...I don't wanna be by myself."

"I will," Troy promised, running his fingers through Gabriella's curls. "Now, it's getting to be lunchtime, so why don't I go get something for you to eat?"

"I don't wanna eat."

"But you have to, Briea."

"I don't feel like eating."

"Okay, then. I won't make you have anything now, but later, you're gonna need to eat at least a little something."

Gabriella didn't say anything.

Troy allowed a few moments of silence to settle over the room before asking, "Do you want to watch a movie or anything?"

"No. I just want to cuddle. I haven't cuddled in so long."

"Chris doesn't cuddle with you?"

"No. He's not really the romantic type. He's more into stuff like making out and having sex." Gabriella snuggled into Troy's chest. "But I have to confess that I haven't felt comfortable enough to sleep with him yet." She blushed. "He still asks me to almost every day, though."

"And you don't have to sleep with him, Briea."

"But sometimes I feel like I should."

"If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. He'll just have to understand."

Gabriella let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm not even sure why I'm telling you this. You shouldn't have to hear it, though."

"It's okay." Troy smiled. "If something's bothering you, you have to let it out. And I really don't mind listening."

"Well, thanks." Gabriella smiled back. "Thanks for everything."

"No problem." Troy pulled Gabriella closer.

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	4. Chapter 4

Gabriella awoke to the feeling of two strong arms wrapped around her small body. "Mmm," she moaned sleepily with a yawn.

"Good morning, Briea," smiled Troy. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good. What about you?"

With you in my arms again, wonderful, thought Troy, "I slept good, too."

Suddenly, Gabriella became aware of something. "I...I look horrible, don't I? I mean, my hair's a mess, I have no make-up on, I'm in pajamas...I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to see me like this." Gabriella hid her face in her pillow.

"Briea, where is this coming from?" Troy queried, although he was sure he already knew what her answer would be.

"Chris doesn't like when I look sloppy like this," Gabriella explained.

"Look at me, Briea." Troy placed a hand under Gabriella's chin and turned her face toward his. "You're beautiful no matter what. Whether you're in a designer dress or sweats...whether you have make-up on or not."

"Do you really mean that?" Gabriella questioned.

"Yes," Troy answered softly, moving a stray piece of hair behind Gabriella's ear.

An awkward silence settled over the room during which Troy and Gabriella just laid there, their eyes locked together as they struggled not to lean in for a kiss.

Finally, Gabriella broke the silence. "I'd...I'd better go get a shower. I should probably go to rehearsal today." She let out a sigh as she got out of bed and made her way over to her closet. After selecting a grey cami and a pair of black shorts, she went into the bathroom adjoined to her room and shut and locked the door behind her. She knew Troy would never, ever walk in on her, but she had gotten into the habit of locking doors because Chris was, in short, a pervert, and she had always needed to be careful when he was at her house.

Troy climbed out of bed and headed to the main upstairs bathroom of Gabriella's house to get his shower. Once he was finished, gotten dressed, and brushed his teeth, he went down to the living room to wait for Gabriella to be finished. He didn't have to wait long, for just five minutes after sitting down; he heard footsteps on the stairs. Turning his head, he saw Gabriella, her damp curls twisted into a messy bun and no make-up on her face other than a bit of mascara. He smiled to himself at that sight; he had fixed her confidence that Chris had destroyed. "Hey, Briea. Want to go out to breakfast before rehearsal?"

Gabriella looked reluctant.

"We can go to a private restaurant where there won't be any paps. What about that small place that's about fifteen minutes from here?"

"What if Chris's there? Then the paps will come within minutes!"

"Oh, Briea, don't worry. Just yesterday he was talking about how he was broke, and he can't go out to breakfast with no money." Without thinking, Troy took Gabriella's hand in his. "And I'll be there to protect you if the worst does happen."

Relieved, Gabriella finally agreed. "Okay. Let's go, then."

Troy pulled his car keys from his pocket and led Gabriella out the door. After making sure she was settled in the passenger seat, he got behind the wheel and pulled out of the driveway.

The ride over to the restaurant was silent. When they made it there, Troy again held Gabriella's hand and walked beside her the whole way to the door, which he opened for her.

"Good morning," a hostess greeted. "How many, two?"

"Yeah," Troy answered.

"Okay. There's a table right over here." The young woman showed Troy and Gabriella a vacant booth. Once they were settled, she told them, "A waitress will be with you in just a minute."

"Good morning, Gabriella, Chris," a waitress spoke as she approached Troy and Gabriella. Then, taking a second look, shock overtook her face. "Wait, you're Troy, not Chris! I'm sorry; I was mostly looking at Gabriella; I only saw Troy out of the corner of my eye. And since she's been with Chris a lot, I just assumed...oh, never mind." The waitress pulled a tablet of paper from the pocket of her apron. "Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

"Coffee," Gabriella replied. "With one cream and two sugars."

"A large Coke," Troy responded.

"Alright, then. I'll be back in a minute." The waitress disappeared.

"I see you still like Coke with breakfast," giggled Gabriella.

"Of course," Troy smiled. "And I'm guessing you're going to scold me for drinking sugary stuff this early in the morning, right?" His tone was playful. When he had been dating Gabriella before, she had always given him lectures about not drinking Coke before lunchtime.

"No, I'll let you get away with it this time," smiled Gabriella.

"Thanks." Troy paused for a minute before asking, "So, have you heard about my new tattoo?" He held up his right hand.

"Very nice," complimented Gabriella. "I like it."

Just then, the waitress returned. She gave Troy his soda and Gabriella her coffee, then inquired, "So, are you two ready to order?"

"I'll have scrambled eggs with extra bacon on the side, plus a couple slices of French toast and a chocolate chip muffin," Troy said.

"Okay." The waitress wrote down the things Troy had listed. "And for you, Gabriella?"

"I'll have a bagel with strawberry cream cheese and a small fruit cup," answered Gabriella.

"Okay. I'll have those things for you in about fifteen minutes, alright?"

"Sounds good," responded Troy, giving thumbs up. Once the waitress walked away, he took a sip of his soda, and then asked, "So, have you done anything fun lately? Seen any good movies or anything?"

"Well, I watched your movie The Lucky One." Gabriella blushed. "I'm a big Nicholas Sparks fan."

"Oh, so that's the reason why? I thought you were going to say you were a big Troy Bolton fan," teased Troy.

Gabriella laughed. "You're crazy, Troy."

"Thanks, Briea." Troy gave Gabriella an amused smile and reached across the table to take her hand.

"So, Troy...um...since you kind of got a lot of food, I was wondering if we could split the cost of our breakfast," Gabriella began hesitantly, letting Troy's fingers lace with hers.

"What do you mean? I'm paying for all of it."

"Are you sure?"

"Listen, Briea. I know Chris's not big on the whole guy-pays-for-everything thing, but I am. So I'm going to pay."

"Thanks," Gabriella responded.

Wow, she's forgotten what real gentlemanly behavior is. And all because of Chris. "No problem," Troy spoke.

During the rest of the time spent waiting for their food, Troy and Gabriella continued talking and laughing together, just like they had done before the break-up. When they got their meals, they ate, Troy left a tip on the table and paid the rest of the cost at the counter, and then he and Gabriella stepped out of the restaurant and returned to his car, taking no notice of the paparazzi that were off in the distance snapping pictures.

Gabriella reluctantly undid her seatbelt and let out a groan. Troy had just pulled into the parking lot of the studio, and she had absolutely no desire to get out of the car.

"What's wrong, Briea?" Troy queried softly.

"After I ran out crying yesterday, I just can't face anyone! And what if Chris's there? I really can't face him!" Gabriella burst out.

"Briea, listen. Sharpay, Chad, Taylor, Ryan...they're all our friends. They won't tease you. I can't promise about Chris, but if he's your boyfriend, he should have at least a little understanding." However, as the last words escaped his mouth, Troy knew he was lying. Chris would, without hesitation, tease Gabriella, and he couldn't make it seem like he wouldn't just to make her feel better. Letting out a sigh, he said, "Actually, I'm wrong. Chris will be a problem. But I'll be there for you, and so will the rest of the cast."

"I...I don't want to know him anymore." Gabriella stammered, tears welling up in her chocolate eyes. "But I can't break up with him."

"Why?" Troy questioned.

"Because he'll be mad! I don't know what he'll do to me!" Gabriella leaned closer to Troy, indicating that she wanted him to hold her.

Troy quickly complied to Gabriella's wishes. "But Briea, he's a jerk. And you don't need a jerk for a boyfriend." He kissed her forehead, then took one arm away from her and reached into his back pocket, out of which he pulled his wallet. Opening it up, he took out a folded up, crinkled piece of paper and handed it to Gabriella.

"What's this?" asked Gabriella, curiosity evident in her expression.

"Unfold it," Troy instructed.

Gabriella did as Troy said. When she was finished, she silently read:

A good boyfriend will...  
-Call you beautiful instead of hot.  
-Let you wear his sweatshirt when you're cold.  
-Chase after you when you run away.  
-Kiss you in the middle of a fight.  
-Wipe your tears away when you cry.  
-Wrap his arms around you and whisper "I love you" in your ear.  
-Call you every morning to say "Good morning, beautiful" and every night to say, "Good night."  
-Sit through a two hour romance movie with you.  
-Make you feel like a princess.

That's when it hit her. She had been tricked. Chris hadn't been a good boyfriend to her from the start. Ever. And there was no way she could pretend he was anymore or force happiness on herself about being with him. As a tear dripped down her cheek and onto the paper, she moved closer to Troy. "We...we need to talk," she told him. "But later. Not here, not now. The paparazzi might be around, and I don't want them to hear what I have to say to you."

"Okay." Troy used his thumb to wipe Gabriella's tears from her face. When he finished, he reached over to the glove compartment, took out a tissue, and handed it to her. "Here you go. Wipe your eyes, and then when you feel ready, let me know and we can go in."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Gabriella rested her cheek on Troy's shoulder and took a few minutes to settle down. "I'm ready," she announced finally.

"Alright, Briea. Let's go, then." Troy helped Gabriella out of the car and held her hand on the way inside the studio. Unfortunately, the first person they saw in there was Chris.

"What are you doing here?" Troy demanded coldly.

"Waiting to show you something." Chris pulled his iPhone from his pocket and turned it on.

"You have an iPhone?" questioned Troy.

"My parents bought it for me," Chris explained.

"And let me guess, they pay your phone and internet bill every month, too?"

"Yup!" Chris replied. He then shoved his phone and Troy and Gabriella's faces. "Now look at this. Do you see that?" His voice was thick with anger.

Troy took Chris's phone and studied the screen, shocked at what he saw. The article that was displayed had the headline, "Is Gabriella Montez Cheating on Chris Smith?" and then went on to say, "Last night, actor Troy Bolton was seen with actress Gabriella Montez in his arms outside of Hollywood Dance Studio. It is then reported that he took her back to her house, where the two of them spent the night. This morning, they were seen holding hands while walking both in and out of a local restaurant. Check out the pics below to see for yourself." Below those words were at least ten pictures of Troy and Gabriella from that morning.

"What?" Troy was outraged. "I didn't even see the paparazzi! And how did they know I spent the night at Briea's?" His glare fell on Chris. "You told them, didn't you?"

"Well, I uh..." Chris began.

Letting go of Gabriella's hand, Troy lunged himself at Chris and, knocking him to the ground, punched him in the face. "You asshole!" he shouted. "The media doesn't need to know all this stuff about us!"

"What?" Chris was shocked. "What do you mean?"

"I like to keep my life private, and so does Gabriella. People all over the world think you and Gabriella are still dating, so by doing what you did, you just made her look like a cheater!"

"Well, she is! You guys slept together last night!" Chris insisted.

"You know, not all guys are all about sex. I know I'm not," Troy growled and punched Chris a second time.

"What is this?" Sharpay, who had just walked in from the back hall, gasped.

"Sharpay, help!" Chris begged.

Troy laughed. "Asking help from girls now, are you? And just yesterday you told me you could kick my ass. What a liar."

The rest of the cast appeared from the same hall Sharpay had come from and stared in shock at what was happening.

"Bolton, please! Just let me up!" shouted Chris.

"Fine. I'll let you go for now, but we're not done." Troy got off of Chris after delivering one final punch to his nose.

Chris dashed out of the building.

"What was that all about?" asked Chad.

"That idiot is reporting stuff about Briea and I to the media!" Troy answered. "And I'm not going to put up with it. The last thing either of us need now-especially Briea-is a bunch of rumors and lies floating around!"

"Wait, are you guys back together?" Taylor wondered.

"No. We were just hanging out last night and then I took her to get breakfast this morning before we came here," Troy spoke.

"So you're friends again?" Ryan queried.

Just then, the conversation was interrupted by Kelsi, who was just walking in through the door. "Sorry I'm late, guys," he apologized. "I got held up in traffic." Glancing around, he noticed the look of anger on Troy's face, the look of sadness on Gabriella's, and the look of confusion on the rest of the cast's faces. "What's going on?"

"Chris was here," said Troy. "And he's selling me and Gabriella's lives to the media."

"Well, he's not going to be allowed in here anymore. I decided that yesterday. He was too much of a distraction. I'm not even sure why he even bothered to come back." Kelsi took a CD from the bag he had with him. "I told him not to come back during rehearsal time." He paused. "Alright, well we need to get started. Can someone go over with Troy and Gabriella what we did yesterday since they weren't here?"

"I will," Sharpay offered. "Come on, Ryan. I need you to help me with the partner stuff." She motioned for Ryan to walk over to her. "Okay, so what we did after the part we left off at the first day is the girl turns right, so Gabriella, you just do a basic turn to the right, and then lean to the side and let Troy catch you, then..."

The rest of the rehearsal continued on in peace. Troy and Gabriella had fun both with each other and with their friends, got a lot accomplished, and even forgot about Chris for a little while. However, when they were finished for the day and walked out the door to go to Troy's car, they found themselves surrounded by paparazzi.

"Gabriella, are you cheating?"

"Did you and Chris break up?"

"Is Troyella back?"

Troy protectively wrapped his arms around Gabriella and let her hide her face in his chest as the paparazzi snapped picture after picture.

"Where's Chris?"

"Did you just hook up last night?"

"Get out of our lives!" Troy ordered. "It's none of your business what we do."

The paparazzi were not discouraged.

"It's okay, Briea," Troy whispered in Gabriella's ear while gently guiding her to his car. Once there, he made sure she was settled in, then got into the drivers' seat and picked up a pair of his sunglasses from the dashboard. "Here, wear these."

Gabriella took the sunglasses from Troy and put them on.

"Alright, now let's get out of here." Troy pulled onto the street and rushed back to Gabriella's house. When he arrived there, he and Gabriella took a few moments to settle in. "Now, what do you need to talk to me about?" Troy inquired, sinking onto the couch beside Gabriella.

"Oh...right." Gabriella recalled her earlier words. "Well..." Swallowing her fear, she looked Troy in the eye. "I need to tell you my biggest regret. And it's something very important to me and probably to you, too."

"I'm listening," promised Troy.

"I...I regret rejecting you. Troy, if I would've only said 'yes,' none of this would be happening now. We would be married, have our own house, and maybe even be expecting a baby." Gabriella felt her eyes fill with tears. "But no, I just had to say 'no' to you and move onto Chris, and now everything's just a mess. My life is ruined, and you can't say it's because of Chris. It's because of me. I did this to myself."

"Aww, Briea, don't say that." Troy wrapped his arms around Gabriella and held her close. "It's not your fault at all. You weren't ready to get married when I proposed, and that's okay. You can't blame yourself."

Gabriella responded with more tears as she gripped Troy tightly.

Pressing a kiss into Gabriella's dark curls, Troy murmured soothing words to her.

"Don't leave me," Gabriella begged when she finished crying, lifting her head to make eye contact with Troy.

"I'm not," Troy assured. "And I never will."

"I...I never want to let you go again!"

"You don't have to, then."

"I...I tried...I tried so hard to forget about you and move on, and I always avoided seeing you because I know it would just hurt me and that I would end up running back to you...and that's exactly what's happening now. I just never want to be without you again."

"Briea," Troy began, "What if I told you that I never want to live without you again, either?"

"You...you don't have to say that just to make me happy. You're Troy Bolton...you have a whole successful career laid out in front of you with every celebrity-and non-celebrity-girl imaginable. I'm sure one of them would make you happier than I can make you."

"Briea, listen. I don't want another girl. I want you. That's why I haven't dated anyone since we broke up. I didn't want to replace you. I was just waiting and hoping that you would eventually come back to me."

"But why? Troy, you can do so much better."

"No, I can't. And even if I could, I wouldn't want to."

A long silence settled over the room before Gabriella queried, "So what are we going to do?"

"We could start over," suggested Troy.

"What do you mean?"

Troy took a minute before saying, "Gabriella Anne Montez, will you be my girlfriend? Again?"

A smile broke out on Gabriella's face. "Yes," she answered. "I'd love to."

* * *

**Don't forget to Review!Thanks**


	5. Chapter 5

"Something smells good," Troy remarked as he walked into the kitchen. Walking behind Gabriella, he wrapped his arms around her waist and looked over her shoulder. "What's my beautiful girlfriend making;eggs and bacon?"

Gabriella nodded. "Yeah. I know you like the way I make scrambled eggs."

"Of course, Briea." Troy kissed Gabriella's cheek, then let go of her so she could continue cooking. "And by the way, you look really cute in those pajamas."

Gabriella looked down at her blue cami and grey pajama pants that had a ribbon matching her top around the waistband to tie. "Thanks." She blushed. "I'm glad you think so. I was really getting tired of always having to get dressed and ready and stuff before Chris would come in the morning. I don't know why, but he would hate when I was in pajamas around him."

"What?" Troy laughed. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I know I shouldn't be laughing, but it's just so ridiculous. I mean, what did he expect you to wear to bed? And in the morning during breakfast?"

"Well, he specified that 'when we slept together,' which never happened, he wanted me to wear sexy lingerie. And whenever he came over for breakfast, he would expect me to be dressed in something nice and have my hair and make-up all done."

"And this came from the guy who wears the same shirt day after day?"

Gabriella nodded. "His excuse was always, 'Well, you're the girl. It's your job to look hot.' But then again, everything was my job according to him. Paying for dinner, movies, buying his groceries, washing his smelly clothes..."

"And how often did you have to do that laundry? Once a month?"

"Pretty much." Gabriella grabbed a plate and filled it with eggs and bacon. Handing it to Troy, she added, "But I'm just glad to be away from him now. I was stupid to even date him in the first place."

"Thank you, baby girl." Troy took his food and went over to the table that was in the kitchen. "And no, you weren't stupid. All girls want romance and will fall for the guys that can say the right things to get them. It's just instinct."

"But still..."

"Briea, listen; you're smart. If you weren't, you would still be with him right now."

Gabriella smiled. "Well, last night I sent him a text saying it was over, so hopefully I won't have to worry about him anymore." She piled the remainder of the bacon and eggs onto her own plate, then opened a cabinet and pulled out a coffee cup. "Want any coffee, hun?"

"No, thanks. I'll take some Coke if you have it, though."

"I think I have a little bit." Gabriella poured her coffee and then looked in the refrigerator. "Yeah, there's still maybe enough for one cupful left."

"Okay. I'll have it."

Gabriella got Troy's Coke and brought it to the table along with her plate and coffee. Sitting down beside her boyfriend, she rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"Someone's still sleepy," Troy observed, wrapping an arm around Gabriella and pressing a kiss into her hair.

"That's why I need my coffee," giggled Gabriella.

Troy took a bite of his eggs. "Mmm, delicious."

"Thank you." Smiling, Gabriella lifted her head and began to start eating her own food.

"So, I thought maybe I could take you out tonight. Where do you wanna go?"

"Maybe out to dinner somewhere. It doesn't have to be a fancy place or anything. And then if we still had time, we could go bowling."

"Sounds fun. I haven't been bowling since last year when some of my The Lucky One co-stars and I went."

"I haven't been bowling since you took me a couple years ago."

"Really? Then what did you do with Chris?"

"Went out to dinner, which I always ended up paying for, went grocery shopping, clothes shopping...and made out. We never really connected." Gabriella shrugged.

"Sorry, Briea," apologized Troy, noticing that Gabriella was looking upset at the memories of Chris he had just brought back. "I didn't mean to make you sad." He held out his arms and, when Gabriella came close, wrapped them around her tightly. "I won't bring him up anymore, though. And unless you feel the need to talk about something that happened with him, you probably shouldn't, either. Let's just both try to forget about him."

Gabriella hugged Troy in return and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"You're my angel." Smiling, Troy pulled Gabriella onto his lap and held her there with one arm while he ate with the other.

Reaching over, Gabriella grabbed her coffee and slowly sipped it, occasionally putting it down to take a forkful of eggs and a few bites of bacon.

In a few minutes, Troy and Gabriella were both finished their breakfasts. After putting their dishes in the sink and wiping the table off, they settled down on the living room couch to watch a little bit of TV before getting ready for the day.

"What do you wanna watch?" Troy queried, grabbing the remote and pressing to turn the TV on.

"I don't care. Just as long as it's not the news. I don't feel like hearing the reporters discuss whether or not we're together again." Yawning, Gabriella laid down with her head in Troy's lap.

"You really are a sleepyhead this morning." Running his hand through Gabriella's hair, Troy leaned down and kissed her nose. "Are you gonna be able to rehearse today?"

Gabriella nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just had a long day yesterday and we kind of got to bed late, so..."

"Okay. Are early morning basketball reruns okay?"

"Yeah," came Gabriella's response. Watching Lakers games together had always been something she and Troy had enjoyed when they were a couple before.

"Alright, then." Troy punched in the channel number for the basketball network, then sat back and relaxed to watch the game while mindlessly taking Gabriella's hand in his and lacing their fingers together.

"Mmm," Gabriella murmured contentedly, sitting up and cuddling into Troy's chest. Feeling his arms wrap around her, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to doze off.

"Briea, honey, it's time to wake up." Troy gently nudged Gabriella.

"Hm?" Gabriella lifted her head.

"You fell asleep on me, baby girl." Pressing a kiss into Gabriella's hair, Troy squeezed her affectionately. "But now it's probably time for us to go get showers so we can be ready in time for rehearsal."

"Okay. I'll take the bathroom in my room; you can have the other main one that's upstairs."

"Alright." Troy released his grip on Gabriella so she could stand up.

After stretching her muscles out, Gabriella made her way to her bedroom and into her bathroom, where she quickly showered, got dressed in comfy clothes, and pulled her wet hair back into a ponytail. When she went back downstairs, she saw Troy standing in the living room, his damp locks falling into his face and his car keys in his hand.

"Ready, Briea?" Troy asked upon seeing Gabriella.

Gabriella nodded and, taking Troy's hand, walked outside and over to his car.

"So, Briea, if you're comfortable with it, I thought that maybe after our date tonight, we could go back to my house and you could spend the night. Nothing sexual, I promise. Just sleeping. Like we've been doing at your house the past couple nights."

"Yeah, I'd be comfortable with that." Gabriella smiled. Even after being away from Troy from nearly two years, she still trusted him more than anyone else she knew.

"And then since Kelsi's giving us a day off tomorrow, we can just have a pajama day." Troy pulled out of the driveway. "On the way back from bowling, we can pick up some popcorn and chips and stuff, and then tomorrow, we can sit around eating and watching movies."

"And cuddling?" Gabriella suggested hopefully.

"Of course, Briea." A smile spread across Troy's face. "We can do anything that'll make the day fun for you."

That evening, Gabriella walked down the stairs and toward the front door, at which there had just been a knock. After rehearsal, Troy had dropped Gabriella off at home and then went to his own house so they could each get ready for their date.

"Hey, Briea," Troy greeted when Gabriella opened the door. Looking her over, he remarked, "You look beautiful tonight." He kissed her cheek as he stepped inside.

"Thanks," Gabriella blushed. "I was worried..."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to look perfect for you."

"Aww, baby girl, you're perfect no matter what." Troy wrapped an arm around Gabriella. "You would even look perfect if you were lying in bed with a hundred degree fever."

"Um...I don't know about that..." giggled Gabriella. "I would think I would be kind of gross if that was the case."

"No, you wouldn't, baby girl." Troy pressed his lips to the top of Gabriella's head. "Now, are you ready to go?"

Gabriella nodded.

"Okay, then. Here we go." Giving Gabriella his hand, Troy led her out to his car and helped her into it before climbing in himself. He then drove to the restaurant they were to eat dinner at.

"You're dating again, aren't you?"

"What happened to Chris?"

"Troyella is back!"

Gabriella groaned and covered her face with her hands at the sight of the paparazzi approaching Troy's car with flashing cameras.

"It's okay, Briea," Troy comforted, taking Gabriella' hand and holding it while sliding his window down. "Hey!" he shouted to the paparazzi. "Back off! We don't want pictures!"

Gabriella buried her face in Troy's shoulder and relaxed at the feeling of his arms wrapping around her protectively.

"Let us get out of the car!" Troy demanded.

"What made you get back together?"

"Who's paying tonight; you or Gabriella?"

"I'm paying," Troy stated firmly. "I'm not like that asshole Chris Smith." As soon as he spoke, he realized that the biggest news the next day would be, "Troy Bolton Talks Bad About Chris Smith." However, he didn't care. Chris deserved to know what he thought of him.

"So you really are dating?"

"Wow, Gabriella moves on fast!"

"Is she cheating on Chris?"

"Go. Away." Troy was growing angrier by the second.

The paparazzi kept taking pictures.

Slamming his hand on the wheel, Troy started the car again and backed out of the parking space he was in. Rolling up his window, he told Gabriella, "Let me just drive around the block and come back. Maybe we can lose them."

Gabriella reluctantly lifted her head from Troy so he could drive and went back to hiding her face with her hands.

"It's okay, Briea. I'll get rid of them," Troy assured, pulling out onto the road. After driving around on back roads for a few minutes, he returned to the restaurant parking lot to find that the paparazzi had gone. "Okay, it's safe," he announced.

Uncovering her face, Gabriella let out a sigh of relief.

Troy smiled, got out of the car, and went around to Gabriella's side to open the door for her.

"Thank you." Gabriella took Troy's hand and allowed him to lead her into the restaurant.

"Hi, can I help you?" a hostess asked.

"A table for two, please," Troy requested politely.

"Okay. Follow me."

Once Troy and Gabriella were seated, a waitress walked over. "Good evening. What can I get for you to drink?"

"Do you have any wine?" inquired Troy. The restaurant they were at was semi-formal, so he thought they probably had some sort of wine, but he just wanted to make sure.

The waitress nodded. "Yes, we do. We have sparkling wine and white wine."

"We'll have a bottle of sparkling wine and two glasses."

"Okay. I'll be right out with that." The waitress disappeared, returning a minute later with the things Troy had requested. "Alright, now do you know what you want to eat or do you want me to come back in a little bit?"

"Are you ready, Briea?" asked Troy, looking across the table at Gabriella.

Gabriella nodded.

"Okay, then. I guess we'll order now," Troy spoke. "I'll have steak-cooked rare, please-with mashed potatoes and no vegetable."

"Are you sure? A vegetable is included in the price," the waitress pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I don't like veggies."

"And I'll have the salmon marinated in a lemon pepper sauce with a baked potato and broccoli," said Gabriella.

"Alright. I'll have your food out in about twenty minutes." The waitress walked away.

"You know, Troy, you really should eat some vegetables," Gabriella remarked.

"I don't like them," protested Troy as he opened the bottle of wine and poured a glass for Gabriella, then one for himself.

"But they're good for you. They'll help you grow big and strong. And you want to be a big boy, don't you?" Gabriella teased.

"Um...you said you saw The Lucky One. Did you see how I looked in there? I think I'm pretty hot." Troy winked playfully.

"Oh, shut up!" Reaching across the table, Gabriella gave Troy a friendly slap on the arm.

Troy stuck his tongue out. "Meanie."

Gabriella giggled. "You're crazy."

"Thank you. I'm glad you think so."

For the rest of the time they were waiting for their food, Troy and Gabriella continued to tease each other while sipping their wine. After eating, Troy paid and then they went back out to the car to start the short drive to the bowling alley.

"I'm gonna beat you, Troy. You know that, right?" Gabriella tied the laces of her bowling shoes.

"Oh, I don't know about that." Picking up a bowling ball, Troy queried, "Do you wanna go first?"

"Sure." Gabriella took the ball from Troy and sent it down the lane, knocking down all ten pins. Turning around to face her boyfriend, she said, "Ha! I told you I could beat you!"

"The game's not over yet," Troy reminded Gabriella, taking the ball when it came back up and letting it slide toward the pins. They all fell down. "See? I got a strike, too! So I'm gonna win!"

"You think?"

"You're silly, Briea." Lifting Gabriella off the ground, Troy spun her in circles.

"Put me down!" Gabriella begged, giggles escaping from her mouth.

"Never!" Troy whispered in Gabriella's ear using a creepy voice.

"Now you're scaring me," pouted Gabriella.

Troy put Gabriella down and kissed her cheek. "There you go. You can take your turn now."

Gabriella smiled as she rolled the ball down the lane. She was definitely having the most fun she'd had in a long time.

* * *

"I won!" Gabriella yelled as she looked at their final scores. She had beaten Troy by a good twenty points; a feat he stood dumbfound by. Regaining his composure, he crossed his arms and mumbled about how he'd let her win. Hearing his comment, she turned to him; grin on her face. "Did you now?" she questioned before standing on the tip of her toes and placing a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

"That's it?" he asked, smirk on his face, when she moved away. "That's all I get for letting you win."

Smiling, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to her height; crashing her lips to his. His hands found her hips and pulled her closer. They knew very well that they were in the middle of a crowded bowling alley and that, at any moment, they could be caught on someone's camera. But they didn't care. Troy swept his tongue over her lips; asking for entry. She gave it to him, willingly, and moaned quietly when she felt his tongue caress hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she played with the strands of hair on the back of his neck before weaving her fingers through his brown locks. When breathing became essential, he pulled back and began to nip at the skin of her neck.

"Troy," she breathed. "Troy, we should stop."

He made a sound at the back of his throat. "Don't want to."

She released a breathy laugh as he continued to suck and bite at her pulse. She knew there'd be a mark later, but she couldn't find it in her to care. "Troy, we still have another game to play."

Sighing, he pulled back and pecked her lips. "Killjoy."

Laughing, she watched as he went to start up another game. Her entire body was on fire from the intense make-out session they'd just finished and she needed to cool off. So while he was setting up the next game, she went to go get something to drink. When she returned, she found him waiting for her; ball in hand. "I wondered where you went."

"Got thirsty. Is it my turn?" He nodded and she set her cup down. She reached for the bowling ball in his grip, but when he hadn't let go, she looked up at him. "Are you going to let go or am I going to have to throw you down the lane, too?"

Chuckling, he leaned closer to her; his lips barely touching her ear. "I'd like to see you try." He kissed her cheek before standing up straight. "Bowl. I have a game to win," he said and tapped her behind as he walked to retake his seat.

She turned to him. "You're not going to let me win this time?"

"Nope."

Shrugging, she turned back to the lane. "Alright," she said before rolling the ball towards the pins; knocking all ten of them down. She turned to find him with his mouth ajar. A smirk on her face and confidence in her gait, she took her seat beside him. "Your turn."

* * *

"You need anything else, Briea?" Troy checked. He and Gabriella had just returned from bowling an hour ago, and were currently just getting into bed.

"Just some cuddles from you," answered Gabriella, climbing under the covers.

"No problem." Troy followed Gabriella and wrapped his arms around her.

"Mmm," Gabriella murmured, resting her head on Troy's chest.

"Aww, you're sleepy, aren't you?"

Gabriella nodded.

"Well then, try to get some rest." Troy stroked Gabriella's hair. "Want a goodnight kiss?"

"Mm-hm."

Leaning down, Troy pressed his lips to Gabriella's forehead, then reached over and turned out his bedside light.

"Troy?" Gabriella began a few minutes later.

"Yes, angel?"

"All these pictures of me...and of us...in your room. Have they been here since we...you know, broke up?" Upon entering Troy's bedroom, the first thing Gabriella had noticed was that there were pictures he had taken of her and pictures taken of the both of them all around. On his dresser, taped to his walls...even on his closet door.

"Yeah. I just couldn't bring myself to put them away." Troy ran a hand through his hair. "I hope you're not mad or upset.

"Oh, no; not at all." Gabriella smiled. "It actually makes me happy to know you kept them all this time."

"I'm glad." Troy pulled Gabriella a little closer and watched as her eyelids fell over her eyes, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. It was only after he was sure she was comfortable that he permitted himself to rest for the night with a smile on his face.

The date had sealed it; Gabriella was officially and truly his again forever and always.

* * *

**I just want to give a standing ovation to my beta ****_LunarEclipse360_****! She has been amazing and has contributed so much to this story.**

**Don't forget to review please! Thank you so much for supporting me.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Good morning, beautiful," Troy greeted when he saw Gabriella open her eyes. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I slept wonderful," murmured Gabriella, cuddling into Troy.

"I'm glad to hear that." Troy smiled. "So, are you hungry?"

"A little," Gabriella replied.

"Well, do you want to go down and grab some cereal? We could eat it on the couch and watch a movie," Troy suggested.

"Okay," Gabriella agreed, sliding out of bed.

Stretching, Troy followed his girlfriend and grabbed the comforter off of the mattress. "I'm gonna bring this down so we can use it to put over ourselves if we get cold," he explained. "And I'll also bring a couple pillows. Then we can really be cozy."

"I can carry a pillow," Gabriella offered.

Troy handed Gabriella a pillow, then picked up the second one and started to head out of his room and down the stairs.

"Do you have any coffee?" Gabriella queried as she walked after Troy.

"Yeah. I got some after I dropped you off at your house to get ready for our date yesterday since I know you like it. But you'd better be planning to come over a lot and drink it because I won't."

"Well, I hope to be coming here a lot." A smile appeared on Gabriella's lips. "I...I hope that this time around, we'll...we'll be together for a very long time."

"Longer than five years?" Putting the blanket and pillow down on the couch, Troy turned to face Gabriella.

"I was hoping maybe we could be together for...for life." Blushing, Gabriella lowered her head as a bout of shyness took over causing her to chew her bottom lip.

Troy stepped up to her and placed his fingers under her chin. He lifted her head so that her gaze met his. Smiling softly, he responded, "I'd like that." Without speaking another word, he pressed his lips to hers.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to kissing you again," she whispered when he pulled away. "I missed you; missed us."

"So did I." He pulled her into his arms and held her close.

After several minutes, she broke away from him and went over to the TV; picking up a movie that was lying next to it. "Let's watch this."

"Oh, no. We're not watching The Lucky One. Please. I did a sex scene in that...way too awkward to be watching with my girlfriend."

"Then why do you have it?"

"All the actors got a free copy. You know how that works. I never really want copies of my movies, though, especially my romance ones."

Gabriella was quiet for a minute. "Um...Troy?" she finally spoke. "Could I ask you something?"

"Anything, my angel."

"Did you like doing the sex scene in the movie?" Gabriella queried hesitantly.

"I was okay with it. But I would never have sex with her in real life. I promise. That's something I would only do with you." Troy then realized what he had just said. "I mean, not now. But later in our relationship, when we're both ready."

"I...I won't be ready for a while. I'm sorry."

"That's okay." Troy fastened his arms around Gabriella.

"It's just that I'm...I'm not comfortable with my body. I mean, my stomach is just a roll of fat."

"No it's not!" Troy protested.

"That's what Chris said."

"Don't listen to him, baby girl. He's a liar and obviously blind. You're not fat at all."

"I did gain some weight for one of my movies..."

"Yeah, but you're not fat. Trust me." Troy lifted Gabriella off the ground. "See? If you were fat, I wouldn't be able to do this."

Gabriella giggled. "Put me down!"

Kissing her cheek, Troy placed Gabriella back on the ground. "Just ignore everything Chris's ever said to you. And about us having sex...it's okay if it won't be for a while. I'd rather take things slow, anyway."

Smiling up at Troy, Gabriella said, "Thanks. I...I really appreciate you being patient and considerate...you're nothing like he was..." She cast her eyes toward the ground.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Troy released his hold on Gabriella. "Now, let's go get some cereal and pick out a movie."

Three hours later, Troy and Gabriella were laid out on the couch; their second movie forgotten. Lips were on lips, hands caressed skin and legs were entangled. Troy's fingers played with the hem of her shirt and lifted it slightly. His fingers brushed the skin of her stomach and sent chills from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Trailing kisses down her jaw and to her neck, he found her pulse and nipped at it; giving her another bruise above where he'd left the first one last night at the bowling alley.

"Troy," she moaned as she wove her hand through his hair. Her leg shifted; wrapping itself around his hip. She was getting bold, but he wondered if she even realized she was doing it. Moving his lips back to hers, he captured her mouth and the quiet moan that escaped when he ground his pelvis against hers. He decided to test the water; see how far he could go before she told him to stop. He wouldn't push her into anything she didn't want to do, but he needed to know where her boundaries lay. Pushing his hand further up her shirt, he cupped her breast from within her bra and that's where he was met with resistance. "Troy, stop."

He pulled away immediately. "You okay?"

She nodded and sat up; forcing him to back off completely. "I'm sorry; I'm just…not comfortable with that."

"It's fine." He touched her shoulder. "Really."

Smiling, she crawled into his lap and rested her ear against his heart.

"Comfy?"

"M-hm." Gabriella leaned back and rested her cheek on Troy's chest, her eyelids slowly falling over her eyes as his heart beat began to lull her to sleep.

"Are you going to sleep, angel?" Troy pressed a kiss into Gabriella's hair.

"Sometimes cuddling makes me tired." Gabriella wound her arms about Troy.

"Well, you can sleep if you want." Troy stroked Gabriella's curls. "And then maybe later, I can go pick up some Chick-fil-a for lunch."

Gabriella was suddenly alert. "Chick-fil-a? I haven't had that food in so long! Chris would never let me eat it because he always said it would make me fatter than I already was."

"I don't know where he even got the idea about you being fat. It's not true at all. And he shouldn't have been controlling what you ate. That's just wrong."

"I know. But he did it anyway."

"He's a jerk. I'm glad you're staying away from him now. You don't deserve to be treated like that. By anyone. Ever." Troy's voice grew sharper toward the end of his words and his grip on Gabriella became more protective.

"Well, I'm never going back to him. Not as a girlfriend and not as a friend. I'm done with him. I hate him. I never want to see him again."

"Don't worry; you're safe now," Troy assured. "As long as I'm here, he won't even go near you without getting a good punch in the face."

"How long will you be here?" Gabriella inquired. "Like how long do you have before you need to go film your next movie?"

"Two weeks," answered Troy, his voice heavy with regret.

"Oh..." Gabriella sounded worried.

"But I can make arrangements for you to come with me," Troy spoke hurriedly. "We're filming over in Florida and I already have a hotel room booked at a place close to where I need to be, so if you don't mind sharing with me, we could both stay there. Or I could get you your own room if there's any left for those couple weeks I have to be there."

"I can share. And I promise I won't get in the way of your work. I'll just stay in our room and entertain myself while you're busy."

"You can probably come watch me if you want. You don't have to be stuck by yourself all day."

"I don't mind. I can just bring movies, books, and my bubble bath."

"So you'll just watch movies, read, and take baths all day every day for two weeks?"

Gabriella nodded.

"You don't have to do that, sweetie. If you want, you could invite a friend to hang out with if you don't want to come watch me. Or you could go out and shop as long as you stay safe and take one of my bodyguards with you."

"It's not that I don't want to watch you, it's just that I don't wanna be in the way," explained Gabriella. "And maybe I will go shopping or something."

"Okay."

A pause settled over the room. Finally, Gabriella said, "I have to use the bathroom. Do you mind pausing the movie for a minute?"

"No, not at all." Grabbing the remote, Troy hit the "pause" button and released his hold on Gabriella so she could climb off his lap. She disappeared upstairs, then reappeared five minutes later, her face pale and her eyes wide.

"Briea, what happened?" asked Troy urgently.

"He...he...what he said," Gabriella stammered, running to Troy and throwing herself into his arms.

"What do you mean, baby girl?" Troy hugged Gabriella close and kissed the top of her head.

"Well it's...it's my time of the month, so I had to go get some girl stuff out of my purse." Gabriella blushed. "And when I was doing that, I noticed the light on my phone blinking. I looked, and there was a text from Chris that said, 'Gabriella, I'm fine with breaking up. But only after you get naked and get in my bed.'" Gabriella whimpered. "Troy, I don't wanna. I don't wanna sleep with him."

"You don't have to, angel," Troy soothed, running his fingers through Gabriella's hair.

"But he might force me! I don't want to...what if...what if he rapes me? Troy...I can't handle this."

"He won't rape you," promised Troy. "Because if he even comes close to it, I'm buying a gun and it'll be time for his family to get ready to have his funeral."

"Are...are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Gabriella relaxed slightly.

"Do you want me to call him back? On your phone? If I call from there, he'll think it's you and then get a surprise when I start yelling him."

"I don't care. I...I just want him away, Troy. I don't like how sexual he is...once...once..."

"Once what? What did that asshole do to you?" Troy's voice was sharp.

Gabriella pulled away from Troy.

"Oh, baby girl, I'm sorry," Troy apologized, softening his voice. "I didn't mean to sound angry. I'm just really mad at Chris."

"It's okay. I was...I was just scared for a second, that's all." Gabriella cuddled back into Troy.

"It's fine. So...do you wanna tell me what he did or would you rather not? You don't have to if you don't want to."

A moment passed before Gabriella began to speak again. "Well, he...he asked me to send him naked pictures...and I didn't feel comfortable with it...but he kept asking and asking...and...and...one time he was at my house and he started going through my underwear drawer...and he was looking at my bra size and teasing me about it...and then he took all my underwear he didn't think was sexy and threw it in my trash can..." Gabriella burst into tears. "It was horrible. I...I didn't even want him looking at it! I wasn't comfortable enough for him to be seeing that stuff...and then another time I guess...I guess I accidentally left my back door unlocked and he came in and came up to room while I was getting dressed...and I had just put jeans on and besides that, I was still only in my bra...and he told me to take my jeans off...but I wouldn't...and...and...he...he kept asking to touch me and kiss me in places I didn't want to be touched and kissed...then I finally went into my bathroom to finish getting dressed, but...but when I came out, he was yelling at me because I wouldn't let him see me naked. Was I...was I a bad girlfriend?"

"Oh, no, honey. Not at all. You did the smart thing; you weren't comfortable, so you didn't let him do anything to you."

"But he still almost did! And I didn't like it...that's one reason why...that's why I'm not gonna be ready to have sex with you for a while...I'm sorry..."

"I don't mind, princess. In fact, we never have to have sex if you don't feel comfortable."

"But...but I want to sometime...I want...I wanna have a baby in a couple years...but I'm scared I'll...I'll be too shy to make one with you."

"Aww, honey, just go easy on yourself. Even if you want to wait ten years, we can still have a baby together. I mean, I think it would be fun to be a daddy, but I'm not in a mad rush or anything like that. Whenever it happens, it happens."

"Thanks." Gabriella wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"No problem." Troy smiled. "So, how about I go out and get some Chick-fil-a now? You can stay here where it's safe."

Gabriella looked worried.

"All my doors are locked and I have a strong security system. Unless you'd rather come with me...but just to warn you, the paps are probably gonna be after us if you do."

"I'll stay," decided Gabriella.

"Okay. You can turn the movie back on if you want. I've already seen it, so if I miss a few minutes, it won't matter." Troy touched his lips to Gabriella's cheek. "Bye, sweetheart. I won't be long."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Gabriella embraced Troy. "Could you get me a chicken sandwich, fries, and an iced tea, please?"

"Of course." Troy pressed a kiss into Gabriella's hair. "And then how about some brownies for dessert?"

"Mmm, sounds good." Letting go of Troy, Gabriella moved aside to allow Troy to get up. She then covered herself with the blanket that had, by this time, been shoved onto the floor, and covered herself up with it as she thought of his lucky she was to have Troy back in her life. Now, if only Chris would leave, everything would be a blissful dream. She would date Troy for a few years, marry him, and then have his babies. They would watch their children grow up into beautiful young women and handsome young men, then see their grandbabies. Everything would be absolutely perfect. But no, Chris just had to ruin it all. If only there was some way to get rid of him for good...

* * *

**Hello Everyone! I just wanted to tell you guys thankyou for reading this story . I am shocked by how many people are reading! However, I am a little sad that there are not many reviews. Reviews let me know how you feel about the story. I'm not going to do the "Ill update after 6 reviews" thing because I want you guys to really want to write one. **

**Anywhoo.. As always I want to thank my beta ****_LunarEclipse360_********and all of you who are reading the story.**

**Don't forget to review!**


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